Mr Stink6.30pm, BBC1

Children's books are a familiar second-career path for people in public life, from Prince Charles to Ricky Gervais. Happily, even for a busy person, David Walliams's efforts seem a cut above the celebrity norm. The tale of a homeless man befriended by a middle-class schoolgirl, this adaptation features a suitably strong cast. Benidorm regulars Johnny Vegas and Sheridan Smith play the parents of 12-year-old Chloe, who invites a tramp (Hugh Bonneville) to hang out in her family's garden shed. Gentle family comedy, featuring Walliams himself as the prime minister. JR

Secret Lives Of The Apostles7pm, National Geographic

Don't expect revelations about what Peter and Paul got up to on their days off. There's isn't much that's secret in this story of the apostles; it boosts biblical sources with speculation about what they were thinking and doing. Still, there's never a dull moment, as the producers deploy all the tricks of the TV docudrama: fast edits, pounding music and, best of all, a narrator on loan from straight-to-video horror movie trailers. They also don't hold back on the gore: straight off, we have a bloody reconstruction of Jesus on the cross, learning how crucifixion hurts. MS

Mount Pleasant Christmas Special8pm, Sky Living

The folk of Mount Pleasant are all covered in snow and good cheer as is proper at this time of year. We join them at first light on Christmas morning and no one has held back on the decorations. Bianca's bought Gary one of everything from the Argos catalogue, Dan and Lisa are exchanging gifts, and Pauline and Charlie are heading for their first domestic of the day. David Bradley, Paula Wilcox, Sally Lindsay, Liza Tarbuck: it's one of the most impressive casts on British television. If you like a bit of well-crafted family fun, you're in safe hands here. JNR

Loving Miss Hatto8.30pm, BBC1

Victoria Wood follows up Housewife, 49 with another near-perfect screenplay about a real-life character. This time it's British concert pianist Joyce Hatto, who became embroiled in scandal at the end of her life when some of her recordings were discovered to be fraudulent. Maime McCoy is irresistible as the young Hatto and Francesca Annis gives her a worldly edge in her latter years. Rory Kinnear is also superb as her optimistic spiv of a husband. But it's Alfred Molina who steals the show as the older him, desperately trying to protect her from the swarming hacks when the scandal breaks. Wood's talent knows no bounds. JNR

Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan in Never Let Me Go. Photograph: c.FoxSearch/Everett/Rex Features

Homeland9pm, Channel 4

At this stage, it feels as if Homeland season two should be surgically removed from its predecessor and given a new identity, Peter Quinn-style. What it's lacked in class, coherence and remembering what its characters are supposed to be like, however, has been made up for, somewhat, with its silly exhilaration. After last week's action, the finale is left to answer this: will Brody survive the CIA? RN

Him & Her: The Christmas Special10pm, BBC3

The sausages are in the toaster, the turkey's in the bed and Becky and Steve are all set for a solitary Christmas in the flat. That's until they're interrupted by a stream of visitors, which luckily includes the hilarious pairing of Laura and Paul. Laura's bought Becky a gift voucher. "Like money, but you can only spend it in Mothercare," she explains, while Paul edges to the brink of violent hysteria as he cuts an overexcited figure in his Santa suit. Meanwhile, Laura forces a beautifully uncomfortable Becky to do vocal warm-ups in the kitchen. HV

Never Let Me Go(Mark Romanek, 2010)1.55pm, Sky Movies Indie

Romanek's quietly restrained adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel mirrors the 1950s Britain in which it appears to be set. But this is an alternative world in which three friends/lovers (Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield) grow up together in a sad and strictly regimented boarding school, and learn a terrible truth about their destinies: a gently compelling, haunting piece of sci-fi. PH

Bad Santa(Terry Zwigoff, 2003)9pm, Channel 5

This is one Father Christmas you do not want coming down the chimney. Billy Bob Thornton's shopping mall Santa is a foul-mouthed crook who hates kids and only takes the job so he can check out potential robberies. But then barmaid Lauren Graham, who has a thing about tubby men with beards and red suits, and a lonely lad (Brett Kelly) add a little sentimentality to his ne'er-do-well life. A wickedly funny demolition of the "season of goodwill". PH